The peculiar fracas happened at around 5 a.m., police said, when the sleeping homeowners were startled awake by their dogs barking. The homeowner got up to investigate the noise, only to find a naked man attempting to choke one of the dogs.

"The homeowner attempted to get this individual's attention," Miami Police spokesman Willie Moreno told NBC 6 in Miami. "He immediately jumped onto the owner and started fighting with him."

At this point the homeowner, armed with a shotgun, reportedly fired it, shooting the intruder in the leg, and then held him until police arrived. The break-in suspect was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital where, according to police, he attempted to bite the homeowners, officers and hospital workers and was thought to have been under the influence of drugs.

Pretend you're home watching "Downton Abbey" and deter burglars with FakeTV ($34), a small gizmo that glows and flashes like the flicker of a television set. FakeTV uses the same energy as a nightlight, and has a built-in light sensor and timer, which turns it on at dusk and off when you wish.

In the U.K., they slather "anti-climb" paint, which never dries, on downspouts, gutters, and anything they don't want an intruder to shimmy up. It doesn't seem to be available in the U.S. yet. But it's a wild idea.

Virgin snow is a sure sign that no one's home. If you're away after a snowstorm, ask a neighbor's kid to tromp around your yard, creating footprints that will fool a burglar into thinking you're around but just haven't gotten around to shoveling your snow yet.

Also, ask a neighbor to occasionally park their car in front of your house, making it look like you're entertaining visitors. And ask them to remove any fliers that may be wedged into your door or mailbox. Burglars sometimes case a home by planting a flier and checking to see if someone retrieves it.